"I feel like we’ve got a lot of dudes with the right mindset this year. Everybody, in my opinion, well, a majority of the team, has the same mindset," sophomore linebacker Jaiden Lars-Woodbey said.

"Everybody has the same mindset of accomplishing something great and just helping Florida State get back to what it was before."

FSU isn't a program that has been doubted often in recent history. Since Bobby Bowden took over in 1976, the Seminoles have been a consistent bowl team -- rarely with much concern -- until the 2018 season ended that streak.

For the first time in recent history, plenty of questions surround the Seminoles entering the 2019 season. The questions are mostly fair and range from how the offensive line will perform after its dismal showing last season to where the FSU pass rush comes from after the departure of Brian Burns.

That apparent adversity has only added fuel to the Seminoles' fire entering 2019.

"A lot of people have us downplayed this year, don’t have us doing a lot of great things," junior defensive tackle Marvin Wilson said.

"We know what we have in this group and we know what we can do this year. We know the goals that we have got set, so we are going to go and reach them.

"We are just ready to go out there and just shock the world and win the game. We are ready to do great things."

The FSU offense has plenty of issues to move past from last season. It struggled with penalties and other unforced errors that made first downs and extended drives hard to come by.

“I’m just ready to go, just show how much we’ve improved," junior wide receiver D.J. Matthews said.

"Not just playing, but details, small things. We cut down on our penalties, pre-snap penalties. That’s really what we’re looking forward to, seeing how great we’re going to play the game mentally.”

No FSU unit is more ready to show its improvement than the offensive line. The Seminoles' offensive front was among the worst in the nation last season, allowing 36 sacks and significantly hampering FSU's talented running back unit.

These crucial players have made the most of FSU's season reset heading into 2019 as the line looks to showcase the strides it has made this offseason, as much mental as they are physical.

"Confidence. We got stronger and with strength comes confidence." redshirt junior center Baveon Johnson said of how the offensive line has improved.

"Everybody’s got confidence and we’re just ready to prove to the world that we’ve got something good."

As for the questions about the pass rush after Burns' departure, FSU doesn't see that as a problem.

"We should definitely dominate every offensive line we’re in front of this year," redshirt sophomore defensive tackle Cory Durden said.

"That’s the expectation.

Members of this coaching staff have enjoyed seeing this brazen confidence on display this preseason after last season's result. They've seen a team that is delicately walking between acceptable levels of confidence and taking that too far.

"You always want to see confidence, but not cocky. That's what we always say. There's some humbleness still in there even though you're very, very confident," FSU defensive coordinator Harlon Barnett said.

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"That's where our guys are. They understand, 'Hey, we need to continue to work. We haven't played a game yet.' But at the same time, we've got some guys here. We've got some guys here that can play football. They wouldn't be here at Florida State if they couldn't. They should have a level of confidence. That's good for all players to have and that's what they're going into the season with."

The members of the FSU roster have had to live with their 2018 season for nine months.

After all this time and the flack they took for ending FSU's bowl streak, Saturday has been a long time coming as they look to begin a return to the FSU form of not all that long ago against the Broncos in Jacksonville.

"We're all just ready for the game," sophomore defensive tackle Robert Cooper said.

"All this work we have put in from January to now, we're ready to put it out there."